1. Field of the Invention
The present invention includes a system for automatically controlling a space by integrating the control and function of a plurality of control systems and devices utilized within the space, by using a principal control system, such as a security system. These control systems and devices can include an environmental control system, a telecommunications system, a lighting control system, and other electrical control systems including those which control individual electrical or electronic devices such as appliances, audio devices and video devices.
The invention can be accessed by a user from within the space to be controlled, or remotely through the use of a telecommunications interface. The control systems may be separately operable, although not automated, when used without being connected to the principal control system, or when the principal control system has failed.
2. Description of Related Art
Small building security systems for sensing and reporting intrusions into a building are well known in the art. Typically, a plurality of sensors, such as motion sensors, door sensors, window sensors and other sensors are connected to a processor to provide the processor with an alarm indication, such as movement or the opening of a door or window. The processor is preprogrammed to initiate certain actions upon the receipt of an alarm indication, such as sounding an internal alarm signal or dialing a remote alarm monitoring station through a telecommunications interface. For the small building market (house, small retail store, restaurant) these systems have been relatively simple.
Improvements in alarm systems include the ability to define in the processor, certain security levels which will cause the processor to handle alarm indications from a sensor in a predetermined way. For example, three levels of conditions for the handling of an alarm indication may be defined: 1) armed; 2) on watch; and 3) off. A sensor whose alarm indication is to be handled as armed, may cause the processor to initiate a call to the remote alarm monitoring station and to create a local alarm signal when an alarm indication occurs at the armed sensor. A sensor whose alarm indication is to be handled as on watch, may cause the processor to initiate a local alarm only when an alarm indication is received from that sensor. Lastly, a sensor whose alarm indication is to be handled as off may cause the processor to ignore any alarm indication received from that sensor. Typically, the highest level of security is armed, next is on watch, and the lowest is off.
Typically, each sensor may be associated with any of the above identified levels. This is typically done through an operator interface which is connected to the processor. The processor may be programmed to identify each sensor with a level individually, or "modes" of operation may be defined where all sensors connected to the security system are set to one of the predefined levels upon the selection of a preprogrammed mode.
As building control systems for small buildings have continued to evolve, integration of alarm systems with other building control systems, such as the HVAC and lighting systems has occurred. For description of a complete system, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/811,508 (abandoned in favor of continuing application Ser. No. 08/216,783), entitled A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING A SPACE, by Stanley-Arslanok et al. which is commonly owned by the assignee of the present application.
In addition, recent improvements in telecommunications technology allows the building owner to use a telephone, either from inside or outside the protected building, to modify the status of the alarm system. This may cause the building owner some concern with the proliferation of hackers who attemp to break into computer systems to modify the programming of those systems. If a hacker were to break into the alarm system via the telecommunictions network, security of the protected building could be comprised.